1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a display stand for exhibiting merchandise and, more particularly, to rendering the display stand resistant to tipping and overturning, especially when bumped or pushed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Display stands for exhibiting merchandise are well known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,790; No. 4,632,345 and No. 5,465,851. Such stands are often positioned in aisles in supermarkets, warehouses and department stores to exhibit the merchandise to consumers. The presence of the stands tends to narrow the aisles and, of course, there are many aisles which are narrow in the first place. Heavy inside pedestrian traffic also limits the width of such aisles and increases the likelihood that a consumer will bump or be pushed into a stand, thereby toppling the stand and the merchandise on the display.
This tipping problem is aggravated when the stand has an easel-type construction, that is, when an upright main panel of the stand is rearwardly inclined to allow the consumer greater access to the merchandise, particularly at lower elevations of the main panel. Due to its rearward slant, this type of stand is more prone to being pushed over. It is self-evident that a stand that cannot readily withstand the bumps and knocks that are commonly encountered in everyday use is unsatisfactory for its intended purpose of displaying merchandise.